Happy Birthday, Miley
by emeralddusk
Summary: A tribute to Miley Cyrus's life and career on her 18th birthday.


**In honor of Miley Cyrus's up-incoming 18th birthday, I have written and dedicated this story to her and her family in all the hardships they have endured, especially during Billy and Tish's separation. I do not in any way intend to mock or offend Miley or her family. I do not believe that Tish Cyrus had an affair with Bret Michaels, and I wish to honor Miley's beloved grandfather, who passed away. Happy birthday, Destiny. I Love you...**

Happy Birthday, Miley

"I think her name should be...Destiny Hope," said Billy Ray Cyrus, gazing down at the beautiful baby girl wrapped in a pink blanket with her tiny eyes closed, which his lover, Tish held her in her arms. "...Because I think it's her destiny to bring hope to the world."

"That sounds beautiful," Tish replied, giving Billy a gentle kiss on the cheek. Looking at her daughter, who opened her little mouth to yawn, the woman smiled. Billy put his arm around her shoulder, and smiled with her.

Eleven years later, Destiny heard about an up-incoming Disney sitcom entitled "Hannah Montana", and sent in an audition tape that she made with a close friend.

"Good luck, Smiley," the girl's friend told her.

"You're too young," the agents told her.

"I'm not givin' up," Destiny told herself, sitting in the corner of her darkened bedroom, her knees pressed to her shoulders, and her arms wrapped around her legs. Even in the dim light, the girl's purity ring shined.

More audition tapes were made and sent in. Time after time, the agents said the same thing: "You're too young." Over the years, Destiny was given the nickname, Smiley by her parents and friends for her endless ability to smile even when she was knocked down or faced with impossible hardships. Some shortened the nickname to Miley, a name a young Destiny loved.

Finally, after months, the agents found out that Destiny, who began to use the stage name, Miley Cyrus, had talent, passion, ambition, and an unbreakable sense of hope. "You've got the part," they told Miley.

The following year, Miley and her father filmed the pilot of "Hannah Montana", starring as Miley and Robbie Ray Stewart, a preteen pop star and her retired Country singer father. Miley Stewart was a girl living a double life as a regular kid and Hannah Montana, an international pop star for the purpose of having "the best of both worlds." Always at Miley's side was her best friend, Lilly, who found out about her secret double life, and gained an alter ego of her own, Lola LaFanda, and Oliver Oken, a former fan-boy for Hannah, turned best friend. Together, the three teens came of age. In the end, Lilly and Oliver formed a relationship, and Miley revealed her Hannah secret to the world: Going out in a blaze of glory. Midway through the show, Destiny officially changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus. Despite her attempt to honor her father by taking on his middle name, Miley's decision was never truly accepted by Billy.

Unlike the sitcom, however, life took a turn for the darker for the Cyrus family: Miley began to change her image from a bright symbol of dreams and love to a hateful, fearful Shadow-Bird. Some assumed it was her deepest pains surfacing, others thought the public drove her to it. Then, later on, catching his beloved wife of nearly seventeen years in bed with another man (presumed by the press to be Bret Michaels while on his "restart of life"), Billy's rage and feelings of betrayal manifested themselves as bone claws that tore from his knuckles. In his deepest fury, the man slashed and killed his wife and her secret lover, leaving Trace, Brandi, Miley, Noah, and Braison without a mother. However, Billy's family found it inside themselves to forgive him, and they remained a broken but true family.

Now, on November 23, 2010, Miley was prepared to turn 18. Two days before her party, the teen received a call from her great grandfather, practically begging her to visit him in the Cyrus's secret place. Responding to this request, the Cyrus family, along with Emily Osment (Lilly from "Hannah Montana") boarded the family's private jet, and flew into the mountains, where the sky was painted dark blue, as in the European-dubbed Blue Hour, and snow was blowing furiously.

Greeting the group on the porch to the Cyrus's secret building was an elderly man with long white hair, a white goatee ending with a long beard, and a thick fur coat on.

"Grandpappy!" Miley called, showing the youthful excitement she had kept from the world for so long.

Seeing Miley's long, darkened hair, black leather leotards with large faux feathers hanging from her arms, and lack of covering on her legs, Billy's father felt his heart sink a little. "Y-you must be cold out here," he said, his voice weak and hoarse. "Come, come inside."

The Cyrus family and Emily proceeded into the warm building. Even though times were dark, seeing the Cyrus family haven again provided a sense of peace and happiness.

"It's good to see you again, Grandpa," Brandi said, her voice warm. Even though the man was not Brandi's biological great grandfather, she still loved him like a grandfather, and very much valued him. "...I've missed you."

"I have missed all of you, too," the elderly man replied. "Noah, you've gotten so big."

"Thanks, Grandpappy," the young girl gratefully said. Noah shared her older sister, Miley's affection for her great grandpa.

"Please, sit down," Grandpappy said, gesturing towards some brown leather chairs near a roaring fire in the fire place. Smiling, the family sat down, all a little nervous about why they were called to this spot.

"Is everything alright, Grandpa?" Trace asked.

"No,...no, Trace," the man replied, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "I'm...I'm not well. This may be the last time I get to see your beautiful faces...Please, you must be hungry after your long trip...H-help yourself to some dinner."

Not wanting to offend their grandfather, the teens and Billy walked into the kitchen. Before Miley could exit the main room, though, Grandpappy called for her.

"Yes, Grandpa?" Miley replied, walking over to the man.

"Destiny,..." Billy's father began. "I...could not tell you this in front of your brothers and sisters...But you have always been my most dear grandchild...In my lifetime, in the thirty years I have spent as the leader of our kingdom...I have seen only five years of peace...Five years."

Miley felt the pain and regret in her beloved great grandfather's voice. It truly pained her to see him like this. "Grandpappy...w-why are you telling me this?" she asked, showing great concern.

"...As a man reaches the end of his life, he begins to wonder what he has accomplished in what time he was given..." the elderly man answered. "I wonder if my rule has been worth while."

"Grandpa," Miley replied. "Of course it is. You've made a difference,...and I've dreamed of being like you. As strong as you...as loving as you..."

"No, Destiny," the elderly man interrupted. "You are a much better person than I am...But what you have become...It saddens me. This is not who you are."

"...Please don't lecture me now," Miley replied, trying to remain cordial during her time of pain.

The girl's great grandfather closed his eyes, feeling great sorrow. "I still love you, though," he continued. "You have given me hope...and that is why...I want you to take over as queen of our kingdom." Seeing the girl's fear and confusion, Grandpappy continued: "Whether you trust yourself or not...I do." The man stood up, showing signs of pain. "Now...embrace me like my daughter."

Miley wrapped her hands around her great grandfather, and closed her eyes. "I love you, Grandpappy," she said. "Thank you."

"...You are welcome," the man replied. "Now...bring an old man another blanket, please."

Smiling and giving the elderly man a nod, Miley went up the stairs to retrieve a warm blanket.

Come midnight, Grandpappy passed away gently in his sleep, roughly an hour after Billy gave him a son's love, and a final goodbye. Meanwhile, with nothing but the light of burning torches on the walls illuminating the dark, wooden room, Miley talked with Noah.

"Noah, you're my sister...my closest friend...and my pride and joy," Miley confessed. "You never cease to surpass me in strength, bravery, and hope..."

Noah shook her head, not believing one word her sister said, though her words were heartfelt.

"...And that's why...I want you to become Hannah Montana," Miley concluded. "I think you can do a better job as her than I did."

"Miley, I..." Noah began.

"Please, Noah," Miley interrupted. "Please...I need you to do this for me...The world needs Destiny..."

"...Alright," Noah agreed, though her heart told her otherwise. The two sisters gave each other a warm embrace. "Happy birthday, Miley."

**I was going to include an epilogue to this where Miley was elderly and dying, but I decided to leave it here.**


End file.
